1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to room extenders such as used with recreational vehicles and modular homes wherein the room extender unit constitutes a complete pre-assembled module for simplifying installation.
2. Description of the Related Art
For many years, the living space of trailers, recreational vehicles, modular homes, and the like, has been increased by the utilization of room extenders, i.e. designing a room which may be extended from the primary housing structure to increase the usable interior space, and retracting the room into the primary structure to reduce its dimensions for highway transport purposes.
A wide variety of operating mechanisms have been employed to extend the rooms of transportable housing structures, and such mechanisms may be manually operated, hydraulically operated, or mechanically actuated. The mechanically actuated room extender mechanism may utilize screws or rack and gear systems for translating the room structure.
The instant invention pertains to a modular room extender particularly suitable for rack and gear operation, and the invention defines improvements over known rack and gear room extenders such as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,521,635; 3,137,041; 3,884,520; 4,133,571; and 4,657,300. A problem with room extenders of the above type results from the fact that the extending mechanism, while it may consist of a plurality of retractable and extendible elements, are custom constructed and installed, and installation is expensive and time consuming.
Another deficiency with prior art room extenders results from the interconnecting of the inner ends of the extendible elements whereby the room extender limits clearance for vehicle floor installed equipment, such as heating and air conditioning ducts, plumbing and wiring.
Room extenders presently available, because of their custom installation procedures, cannot readily be installed in complete assembled sets, and require installation by skilled craftsman capable of fitting each extender unit to its associated room structure.